Midnight on the Other Side
by The NC Syndicate
Summary: AU. The Black Arms have taken over. Life will never be the same, as I am now the unwilling princess of an empire. Yet I will fight, not only for those who died, but for those who fought for me all those years ago. Black Doom will die, I assure you.


Good god, this idea had plagued me for a while. Now there are some warnings, precautions and explanations here so bear with me. Trust me, you wont hear from me again after this.

Black Arms Symbol = Shadow's symbol from Shadow the Hedgehog.

There are some relations to the Archie Comics, but not many.

There will only be cannon couples in this fic. There will hardly be any romance until much later and I swear it will not be with Sally or Shadow.

Noble = rich aristocrats that inhabit the conquered worlds.

Sonic ©Sega

_ - _ - _

The current year is 3239, planet Mobius. The Black Arms aliens had recently fought a war with the Xorda. Both are Alien colonies we do not know that much about, yet that they have destroyed many worlds. It all began 50 years ago; but I believe that it began last week. Black Doom, leader of the Black Arms, had finally conquered the Xorda and moved on to Mobius.

_ - _ - _

_The sky was stained red; the Ritual of Prosperity was to be preformed today. The streets were empty, a lone newspaper floated down the street. In the sky, a large red object loomed ominously overhead. It was visible from Station Square to the remote ruins of Robotropolis._

_Upon this object, was Shadow the Hedgehog. The ultimate life form stood, surrounding him were seven orbs of light. _

"_Finally… I've got all the Chaos Emeralds!" He said, looking at the emeralds. His arms were extended slightly, as if to hold the already floating gems up. "Now, I can uncover the truth about me past. All of it…"_

_Black Doom, the alien leader, floated towards the black hedgehog. His red eyes glowed evilly as he spoke. "Well done, Shadow… Our ritual can now commence as planned. Give me the Chaos Emeralds."_

_Shadow stood there, looking at the being before him. Unsure of what to do, a small part of him called out, saying he should give them to the Black Arms…_

_Many voices called out to him at once. "SHADOW!!"_

_Turning quickly, he noticed all of his allies and rivals behind him._

_Breathing heavily, Sonic cried out first. "Shadow, give me the Chaos Emeralds!"_

"_Do not give the Emeralds to Black Doom, Shadow!" Eggman commanded. _

_Rouge looked at him with her arms crossed and in a serious manner stated, "They're planning to destroy the planet!"_

_Black Doom looked down condescendingly at the group. "Hahaha… Ignorant fools. We're here to save the humans from their demise. We offer… salvation." He said in a sly way._

"_What?" Shadow breathed._

"_Their greed, thirst for power and affinity for betrayal has them on a path of self destruction. Their actions will lead to the extinction of their species. We're here to save them from themselves… with our perfect order…"_

_The horror painted across their faces was conclusive. All were silent as the dictator continued on in his monologue._

"…_Allowing them to live through their desolate lives in peace. Humans are a great energy source for us… they will be well kept."_

"_Whaa?!" Was the immediant response from many present._

"_Let us begin our Ritual of Prosperity."_

_And with that statement, the emeralds fled from Shadow. They danced in the air daintily, as if fairies on the wind. Once they were close enough to the leader, the two words needed to teleport him away were uttered and with a blinding flash of light, they were gone._

"_This can't be happening!" Shadow cried out._

_The large comet that was once many miles in the air was now mere feet away from the planet itself. Tentacles erupted from the comet and burrowed deep into the ground, crushing cars and buildings in its path._

"_What was that? What just happened?" Amy asked innocently, as if it weren't obvious._

"_Those black creatures just warped the comet down to the surface using Chaos Control!" Sonic said, making frantic hand and arm movements._

"_No! That's impossible!" Rouge murmured in disbelief, looking solemnly into the distance._

_Turning to face Black Doom, the ebony hedgehog looked in shock at the one before him. "That's why you needed the Chaos Emeralds."_

_Black Doom floated there serenely, his eyes betraying a condescending smirk that played out through his voice. "Hahaha… precisely. The comet's velocity isn't powerful enough to pass through another planet's atmosphere. The Emeralds amplify the space-time control powers of Chaos Control. We need them to charge to full power. It's the perfect plan. That's why I needed the professor to help me…"_

_Shadow's eyes were wide, his mouth open wide as the painful scream ripped through the area. "What?!"_

_Eggman flung his arms out in desperation. "That's insane!" He called out accusingly._

_Black Dooms face grew thoughtful as he ignored the outbursts and continued on. "The professor was in the development of the ultimate life force, but needed my help. So we made a deal… I helped him and he promised to deliver me the seven Chaos Emeralds." He turned and glared down at the life form. "That's how you were created, Shadow. You would help us do both!"_

_Defeated, Shadow fell to the ground. Hiding his face in humiliation he murmured softly, "Me?! I can't believe it!"_

_Eggman was still exasperated, completely oblivious to the plight of the poor hedgehog. "That can't be! He betrayed his own people for research?! For Black Doom?!"_

_Sonic laughed, short but over-confident. "Big deal… we can't just stand around here doing nothing!"_

_Knuckles spoke next. "Yeah… Let's do this! I'll crush that cosmic rock ball!" and raised a fist into the air. Yet with a grunt, he froze._

"_Knuckles! What's wrong?!" And Sonic froze too. _

_One by one they all froze in place, their muscles locking up. They couldn't move, barely able to breathe. Yet the alien Laughed at this._

"_A special weapon… this gas. Once released is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. In moments, it will cause total paralysis. The end is near now…" And he laughed manically. Looking down, he cooed softly to smaller aliens, chirruping wildly. "Ahh… my dear offspring… Devour these savory dishes!" _

_And they attacked their prey. Picking an extremity and biting down into the flesh; then gently sucking away at the blood. Protests and cried of pain filled the air, as one by one, they were bitten. One stopped before Shadow, and looked at his kneeing form with large eyes. _

_Voices suddenly rang through his head. Voices of Black Doom, Professor Gerald, His own… Maria's. a lone tear seeped down his muzzle, and he was free. He stood, glaring at the one in front of him. He gave a quick look to the smaller being before him, before promptly stepping on it._

"_What?" Black Doom asked._

_Shadow's glare returned to the one before him. "I am Shadow the Hedgehog, I have left the past behind me. No one can tell me what to do now! I will destroy you, Black Doom."_

_Black Doom returned the glare. "I gave you life, and THIS is how you repay me?! The Irony of it all is… I gave you life… NOW I'll take it back!" And as he floated away, he laughed and Shadow gave chase._

"_Shadow!"_

"_You're our only hope now…"_

_ - _ - _

I breathe heavily, the smog in the air above is choking me. I'm the last one and I know it, but I won't give in. I have made my little base out here sine day one and I won't give Knothole up to anyone. I sip from the last bottle of water. The river had been tainted, So I can't get more. This can't go on, I need to leave. But If I wander away, they will know that I am not one of them. After all, what reasonable 'noble' would allow their darling to wander off alone?

I hear an explosion, and I know they've found me. This was my final hideout. I take a few deep breaths, clench the gun in my hands and run.

I flee from my cabin, running into the dark underbrush nearby. I can hear them following behind me, their purple energy swords slashing at the trees I played in as a child. My feet hit the ground, softly thudding.

A pinprick makes my heart grow cold. With dread I keep running, but reach and pull a dart out of my shoulder. It's one of the darts.

In my distraction I trip and fall over a tree root. I look up into his cold red eyes and know that it's over for me.

_ - _ -_

_Shadow's strides quicken, marching towards the being before him, and the Chaos Emeralds._

"_Well done Shadow. You've gone farther than I expected… I'm impressed!"_

_Silently, he continued his march, never loosing sight of his goal._

"_But you still don't understand, do you? The future we offer is the only option for these humans."_

_Shadow's glare hardened, his scowl deepened. His voice rose with every word he spoke. "I've heard enough! You're boring me to death, Black Doom! You're going down!" He continued his march._

_Black Doom sighed contently. "Such bravado for such a little hedgehog! I thought you were different from the rest… but maybe not." He smiled coyly. "We are more alike than you think… the same blood runs through our veins." His arm was partially extended, his palm facing upwards._

_Shadow's hands flew to his head. "This can't be… ugh!" He stopped dead in his tracks. He fell to the ground, eyes half lidded and glazed. "Just… who are you?!"_

_The alien laughed. "Don't you know? You were created from my blood…"_

_Shadow raised his head and whispered, "Wha—What?!"_

"_That's right… you are a part of me… do you feel that? I can control you… you cannot escape me, nor can you escape your past!" Was the level reply. And with that Black Doom burst out laughing._

"_Damn you! No! It's not true!" Shadow screamed back._

"_Oh but it is… and now…" with a flick of his wrist, Black Doom was in total control. "Let's clean up that mouth of yours."_

_Shadow kneeled, and murmured, "Yes father."_

_ - _ - _

Sally Acorn, alone, in a prison cell on the Black Comet. Her hair was in total disarray, her clothes torn, her body covered in blood, mud, dirt, and many other things. There is no windows, so she can't see the stars flying past her. Sighing, she continues her vow of silence. Upon her shoulder is a scar, the mark of the Black Arms.

Two guards, the same two that arrived this morning, open the door, yet she makes no move to change positions. They reached in with their sharp talons and drug her out.

She squirmed and struggled in their grasp. She refused to become a pet for some sick bastard. Her hair became darker with sweat, and her eyes grew colder with each footstep they forced her to make.

The cold purple floor and black walls grew more intricate as time passed. She wasn't sure when they had placed handcuffs around her wrists, yet she still fought. They had to have been relieved when they threw her unceremoniously onto the cold ground.

They had dumped her in the throne room with Black Doom and Shadow.

She took one look at the black hedgehog and exploded.

"Damn you dirty, sleazy little coward! How dare you turn your back on us! We trusted you, I trusted you, and you betrayed us!"

Black Doom sat on the throne, looking amused at the raging squirrel before him. The look in her blue eyes was pure and wild, yet also hurt and betrayed. _"She is perfect…"_

"I hope that when you die you suffer a horrible death! You need to die! Die die die die die! I will never forgive you… you coward! You not only betrayed us, but Maria! And all those who died FOR YOU!"

Shadow stood beside the throne, a ruby cape with the Black Arms symbol embroidered on it hung delicately from hiss shoulders. He remembered every act he was forced to do, including taking up his role as prince on the Black Arms Empire. Every word Sally screamed at him cut him deeply. And it was all true.

"Why?! Why did you do it?! You doomed us all! How?! How could you do it to us…" Sally cried out. Her hands were still behind her back, and she was merely kneeling. But she glared up at the hedgehog she hated so much. She let loose a feral scream as she broke down crying, several days of keeping her emotions hidden was taking it's toll.

"Princess Sally Alicia Acorn, Princess of the Acorn kingdom." Black Doom said calmly. "Shadow, what are your relations with this girl?" He asked, but he already knew.

"She was an ally, Father. Worked very closely with the GUN officials." He responded. He HATED calling Black Doom his father.

"Hmm… then it's settled. You two are to be married."

"WHAT?!?!" Sally and Shadow cried out at once.

Four guards were summoned from the shadows; their large claws gripped both the angry squirrel and the compliant prince.

"Take them to the wedding room. Make sure that their… ritual is not disturbed."

And all the while, Sally was screaming. "NO! I WILL NOT MARRY THAT DIRTY BASTARD!!"

_ - _ - _

Once again, Sally was thrown unceremoniously onto the floor. Shadow on the other hand, was simply left to walk in on his own. She had long since quieted down, after nearly becoming hoarse and a death threat from an agitated guard.

The door was shut, and sealed. They would not be leaving until the ceremony was over.

"I still hate you."

"I know."

"And I don't want to marry you."

"I know."

Sally sighed. She wasn't going to get anywhere with things like this. "So, how does this ceremony work anyways? And can you get these cuffs off of me?"

Shadow sighed also and simply snapped the chain in two, leaving the two cuffs as bracelets on her wrists. He glared at her, and said simply, "It wasn't my fault."

Sally was quiet, looking around the room as she contemplated what to say next. It was a greenhouse of sorts. Large red, pink, white, and lilac oddly shaped flowers pumped heavy perfume into the air. The lacey leaves from ferns covered the ground in a thick blanket. Trees with large, blue heart-shaped fruit surrounded a clear lake.

"I still don't understand why though."

"I know."

Silence engulfed them, for a while.

"The marriage laws state that to be wed, we must share an… intimate moment."

"You mean I have to…?!"

"Unfortunately."

"Sigh… is that the only way we can get out of this place? It looks like Valentines day puked all over it."

Shadow nodded.

Sally sighed. "I will still hate you after this."

"I know."

_ - _ - _

Prince Shadow and Princess Sally stood beside Black Doom. Mobius rotated below them, the continents still green, the water still blue. It was a beautiful sight.

Yet the green beam of the Eclipse Cannon flew past them, and shattered the calm. The destruction radiated out from Westopolis for many miles, and soon, all that remained were the villas that the Noble Black Arms lived in.

Sally looked at her old home, and sobbed silently. Shadow, who wouldn't dare let his father see, cried also. Yet they needed to be strong, they would get through this, for all the people, they would bring down Black Doom…

One way or another.


End file.
